Alabama

RICKY THOMASON: Arizona showing Alabama how to cut revenue

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama _ Alabamians once said, "Thank God for Mississippi" because that was the one state that often kept us from being the armpit of the nation when it came to almost every category in which states are ranked.

States' images are even bigger deals in these hard economic times. Conventions and tourism bring many dollars to the coffers. I know cuts have to be made, but cutting state tourism funds seemed unwise, or worse.

Arizona has lost tourism dollars over the immigration law. It appears Alabama wants to suffer with them.

When there's passage of a proposed immigration bill modeled after Arizona's, I wonder how long before we copy their other knee-jerk laws. We may be headed for number two with a bullet if we follow Arizona's lead.

The Republican Gov. of Arizona, Jan Brewer, just vetoed the so-called "birther bill" with long-form birth certificate proof required to be eligible to run for president - and more to the point of the deal - re-election.

"But wait!" as the late pitchman Billy Mays said, it gets better. The bill also required that candidates have "early baptism or circumcision certificates." Many people should have a problem with that, especially women.

Many of us don't like such laws even if we aren't deluded enough to make a run at the presidency. I briefly considered a run so I could grab a grub stake of campaign donations and matching federal funds, then decided that would give me too much in common with Roy Moore.

Arizona's governor vetoed what would be politically tempting for Alabama's to sign. Because of Gov. Robert Bentley's fiasco over who were his Christian "brothers and sisters," I have a strong suspicion he would sign the bizarre bill so fast it would sling ink on the walls

Arizona's Gov. Brewer said of the veto, "I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth to submit baptism or circumcision certificates. This is a bridge too far."

Forget that catchy clause in the U.S. Constitution that says something about there being no religious test for a candidate for president.

Arizona Sen. Steve Gallardo, an outspoken Democrat, said "the governor realized that the bills would be bad for the state's image..."

That has never been a consideration in Alabama.

To the contrary, Alabama seems to go out of its way to maintain and promote us as people straight out of the movie "Deliverance. " A friend transferred here from the Carolinas told me the "Deliverance" theme ran through her head when she learned they were moving to Alabama.

Bentley has done nothing to improve that image. Imagine the national perception when Bentley, barely inaugurated, made his "brothers and sisters" remark, followed by a lame explanation and semi- apology, followed next morning by a Decatur prayer breakfast where he seemed to recant, then bragged that the brothers and sisters remarks made him more popular.

Say what? In many minds nationally, Bentley appeared so confused that people figured, brothers aside, the only sister he is sure about may be his wife.

For the life of me I cannot figure any reason other than populist grandstanding why Alabama would want to join Arizona with the shared costs of defending laws that go against the constitutional powers of the federal government.

A U.S. federal judge blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's immigration law shortly before it took effect last July. Arizona appealed, but the decision was upheld by a federal appeals court recently.

Get on board with Arizona, Alabama. Let's help them pay to push that and whatever else they come up with all the way to the Supreme Court. Maybe they'll do something stupid on abortion, too. We have money to burn.